Cincinnati 2014 advice?

I am planning to take a trip from my hometown (Silvis, IL) to the W&S Masters event next year. I am posting this thread as a way for me to get as much information about it as I can.

So my main concerns are:

Tickets, what to get, prices, etc.
Lodging, best places to stay (for cheap, I am a college student after all)
Best overall value for the trip (best way to enjoy it and still see some good matches while keeping costs down).

I would like to see some of the top guys, especially Federer, but also cool with some of the smaller matches that would take place on non-stadium courts. Those of you who've been, what do you recommend and do you have any advice?

I'd recommend going Monday and Tuesday. When I went out, I went Monday night, Tuesday day and night. I got to see Roddick and Federer! I love going those days because you get to see centre court matches and all the outer court matches and practices.

We went Tuesday evening and Wednesday all day and evening. I'm not sure if it would be like this every year, but we felt like we could have gotten away with being there all day Wednesday without having purchased that night ticket. The only place the ticket grants you access to is your seat on Center Court. If you think you'd be like us and not need to leave in the afternoon and come back, you'll never need to scan that night ticket. We only spent a few minutes here and there in Center Court so we definitely could have had a full, enjoyable evening without that night ticket. Obviously if you were there for the later days there wouldn't be enough happening outside of Center Court to consider this.

There are tons of hotels on Mason-Montgomery road which is just a ten minute drive from the tournament. We stayed in a Best Western right across from the Marriott. I'd say it was mid-range price wise but they had a pretty good breakfast buffet so I factor that into the cost since it saved us quite a bit of money. You can't bring any food in with you, but there was so much going on I honestly had to force myself to remember to eat. The concession food is reasonably priced. You can eat lunch and dinner for less than $10 per meal. The worst thing is thirst and needing to buy water. I couldn't find any drinking fountains. I kept telling myself I'd refill a bottle from the tap in the bathroom, but I never did that.

This trip was honestly one of the highlights of my life. I plan to go back every year now.

The worst thing is thirst and needing to buy water. I couldn't find any drinking fountains. I kept telling myself I'd refill a bottle from the tap in the bathroom, but I never did that.

This trip was honestly one of the highlights of my life. I plan to go back every year now.

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I brought in a liter bottle (label removed) with water and refilled at the drinking fountain near restroom no problem. Also bought the overpriced bottled water and added on souvenir cup with ice for just 25 cents more. Didn't find out til last day that the cup entitles you to free ice refills all day!!! Worth it a hundred times over.

Early round are super busy and you can see great matches up close and stars practicing. The biggest names (fed, rafa, nole, serena, vika) never appeared off center court. However, those early rounds, I never saw them check tickets, so if you wanted to buy a grounds pass and chance 'em, I know you wouldn't be the only one. Depends on how shameless you are if you get caught and if you have any ethical issues with it.

After several years of going, we decided the best days are Wed. / Thurs.....you see the best combination of most matches and best tennis. They put crappy matches on the Center Court Monday and Tuesdays

Went to this year's semi-finals on Saturday. Got lucky and got some free tickets for the Xerox Executive Suite. First time ever seeing a pro tennis match and it was awesome. Drove up from Louisville. Saw Isner pull out a great win over DelPotro. Saw Nadal win. Then stayed over and watched Serena and Lee Na play. Plan on coming back in 2014.